01_04 The Bible’s Greatest Prophecy
Document # 01_04, The Bible’s Greatest Prophecy, overviews the history of the unfolding
of both Daniel and Revelation, as the key to understanding them was discovered. It was revealed to men from the Bible, by Holy Spirit working on the minds of men, when God had prepared the historical way. The knowledge of this history is critical to all of your growth in the spiritual realm of your life from this point forward. It is the DOOR to the heavenly realm, opened by God Himself!
In the past, in the failures of His people to enter into His Kingdom, by that DOOR, God Himself has stated: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you, that you shall not be a priest [teacher of doctrine] for Me: seeing that you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will also forget your children!” Hosea chapter 4, verse 6. Read the chapter from the beginning for context. This is too true of today’s Christianity!
A major question: Why has Jesus not yet come, in the clouds of glory? For many, this is an excuse to disbelieve. But for the true Christian, the realization is building that Jesus could have come, before now, but the reason He has not, is that His people have not made themselves ready!
Please read Revelation 19, verses 1 to 9, to get a feel for the truth of this realization!
You will see here, in this educational website, that there are specific gospel Messages for our time in the prophecy time-line. As we learn these Messages, in detail here, I believe we will be made ready, by learning them, and soon, by proclaiming them to our world! Jesus is waiting to pour out His Spirit in the Latter Rain (that you will learn about) upon those who are thus made ready. This is not a boast. This is my settled conviction! We must know our God-given Messages, from Revelation 14, so that Jesus can use us to “prepare the way of the Lord,” which will make us ready! You can learn, here in this web page, what it has taken many, including myself, a life-time to learn. You can learn it in as little as ten weeks, thanks to the written pages herein! My talents have been used by Jesus, to provide it to you. Will you run with it??
[Before we begin, please download documents 01_05 (both Downloads) and have them at hand.]
The Bible’s Greatest Prophecy
Are you aware that you will be brought before God and face a video record of the events of your life? There is a belief in most of Christianity today that the whole of the Plan of Salvation was wrapped up in the cross of Christ. Because Jesus died for our sins, any sin we commit, they believe, Jesus automatically forgives and “there is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 8:1.
They had better read the rest of the text – “…who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” The context speaks volumes. Verse 4 – “That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” And verses 12 to 14 – “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh, for if you live after the flesh, you shall die: (eternally perish – John 3:16) but if you, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
The Law of God, in Ten Commandments, was not nailed to the cross. The sacrifices of “the law contained in ordinances” – HANDWRITTEN by Moses, were nailed to the cross (ended). Colossians 2, verse 14: “…blotting out the handwriting of ordinances, that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.”
If you didn’t bring a sacrifice for your sins, the wages of sin, death, would be proclaimed against you in the yearly Judgment day, the Day of Atonement!
Jesus became “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.” John 1, verse 29. All other sacrifices ended when Jesus took their place, nailed to that cruel cross!
The Bible teaches, a thousand times, if you are not blinded, that the Law of God defines sin, and to be saved we must stop sinning, by submission to Jesus in us! First John 3:4, is the Bible definition of sin:
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law: for sin is the transgression [breaking] of the Law.” – 1 John 3:4.
Let’s also look especially to the words of Jesus Himself in Matthew 19, the latter part of verse 17: “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments.” Which? Verse 18, Jesus continued, saying, “Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
Do you need more quoted? Jesus says, “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment: and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.” Revelation 3, verse 5.
Here’s another powerful one: “Blessed are they that do His Commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev.22, v.14.
Friend, the Bible teaches that we must KEEP the Commandments of God. They are the principles of Eternal Life!!
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that KEEP the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” – [faith in the written Word of God]. Revelation 14:12.
To overcome Satan, Jesus answered every temptation in the wilderness with, “It is Written.”
Further, the Bible teaches: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment…” Hebrews 9, verse 27.
When is the Judgment? There is a Judgment Hour in the end of the world! “Fear God and give glory to Him: for the hour of His Judgment is come: and worship Him that made (Created) heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Rev. 14, verse 7. This “hour” is at the end of the 2300 days time- prophecy, Daniel 8:14, the Bible’s Greatest Prophecy, as you will see herein!
We are in that Judgment Hour!
Now, who, in all the universe, is honest enough, and fair enough, understands you enough, and loves you enough, to be your perfect Judge?
NO ONE BUT JESUS
He knows our frame, for he became a man, born into a human nature devolved down through 4,000 years! Did you know that He not only created you, but he died for you, and He will one day be your Judge? He has a special interest in you, because He made you, and because He bought you with His own life! Or think of it this way – the One who will Judge you is the One who gave the Law, and then, when you broke the Law, He paid the penalty (death) in your place, so that you could learn to overcome sin! He is the eternal FATHER, who loves you, His child, His son or daughter, even to the giving of His own life, to save you! Could anyone ask for a better Judge? He wants you to have eternal life, with Him! He wants to be your eternal FATHER: He Created you!
When Jesus stood before Pilate that black Friday morning, few understood the significance of His trial.
* Pilate thought he was judging Jesus. He told Jesus that he held Christ’s destiny in his hands.
* The priests and the rulers thought that at last they had Jesus in their power.
* The mob thought they were deciding His fate.
One day the circumstances will be reversed. Pilate, the priests and rulers, the mob, and all of us – every man, woman, and child – will stand trial in heaven’s court. And the question that will decide our eternal destiny is;
WHAT DID YOU DO WITH JESUS?
Today we open God’s Book and look at the Bible’s Greatest Prophecy.
1. Is it true that Jesus, rather than God the Father, will be our Judge?
John 5:22:
“For the Father Judgeth no man, but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son.”
2. What does the apostle Paul say about the Judgment?
2 Corinthians 5:10:
“We must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ.”
3. When Jesus comes again, what does He bring with Him?
Revelation 22:12:
“And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
But how could Jesus bring His reward with Him for every man, if every man’s case is not already decided? Apparently, every case must be investigated and decided before Jesus comes! We are in the time of this Investigative Judgment!
As Jesus began His ministry, He said, “The time is fulfilled.” Mark 1:15.
The day before His crucifixion, he affirmed, “My time is at hand.” Matthew 26:18.
Is it possible that a prophetic countdown was taking place? Did Jesus live and die according to a prophetic clock?
Yes, He did! Let’s turn to the prophet Daniel, and discover a little problem in arithmetic – with Jesus right in the middle of it!
4. A very important prophecy was given through Daniel. What was it?
Daniel 8:14:
“Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed.”
From Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6 (Read NOW) we learn that a “day” in symbolic prophecy represents a literal year. A number of Biblical scholars accept this year-for-a-“day” principle of prophetic interpretation as valid for all time prophecies, including Daniel’s vision. Based on this, then, we have here a prophecy describing 2300 literal years of time.
5. How did the angel explain the first part of this prophecy?
Daniel 9:24:
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people.”
So we have seventy weeks, times seven days to a week = 490 prophetic days, or 490 literal years. For 490 years the Hebrews were to remain God’s chosen people. But then they would be Judged! (see docs 01_05)
6. When did the 490 years, and of course the 2300 years also, begin?
Daniel 9:25:
“From the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks.” This is the time prophecy referred to by Jesus! Mark 1, verse 15!
Here are 69 (7 plus 62) of those 70 weeks…unto Messiah – Jesus! – 483 days, or 483 literal years, that date from a decree to restore Jerusalem.
The decree that fits the prophecy is the one by King Artaxerxes, a king of Medo-Persia, (a dual Empire) recorded in the Bible in the book of Ezra, chapter 7, which went into effect in the fall of the year 457 B.C., according to Jewish careful dating of this fulfillment!
483 years from that decree should, and absolutely does, take us to “the Messiah.” In the fall of A.D. 26, John baptized Jesus, and He began His ministry as the Messiah! This application of the “year-for-a-prophetic-day” principle, “…seal[ed] up the vision and prophecy.” Dan. 9:24.
7. One week of the seventy weeks remains. When does it say the Messiah
would be “cut off” (Daniel 9:26) and “cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease?” Daniel 9:27:
“In the midst of the week.” Halfway through the remaining seven-year period, in the Spring of A.D. 30, Jesus died on Calvary’s cross, fulfilling the prophecy just as predicted! [Study 1st Download doc 01_05]
At the end of the 490 years – three and a half years later – at the time of the stoning of Stephen, in the fall of A.D. 33, work among the Jews began to come to an end; and the gospel began to be preached to the Gentiles!
Acts 8:1-5: “And Saul was consenting unto his [Stephen’s] death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere, preaching the Word.
“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria [well known as the city of Jews who had mingled themselves – through marriage – with Gentiles, and were despised by the Pharisees] and [Philip] preached Christ unto them.”
These two events – the death of the Messiah, and the stoning of Stephen – leave 1810 years to the fall of 1843. There is one more year needed for the 2300 year prophecy, and that brings us to the fall of 1844 – relatively close to our day!
This, incidentally, is the last date from time prophecy, before the final Judgment began, that we know of in the Bible.
But what was to happen in 1844? Daniel said the Sanctuary would be “cleansed.” What does this mean?
In the earthly Jewish Sanctuary service, the High Priest went into the Most Holy Place, the most sacred room of its two rooms, only once a year. This was for a special service on the yearly Day of Atonement, which was considered a cleansing of the Sanctuary from the record of the people’s sins that had been confessed and the record of them accumulated there, during the year. In fact, the Jews viewed it as the yearly day of Judgment. No sin must remain unconfessed beyond that date. The entire Sanctuary service represented, in type, the plan of salvation – the work of Jesus for us in the heavenly Sanctuary!
What happened in 1844 was that Jesus commenced that new phase of His mediatorial work as mankind’s Saviour. He began investigating the records, in heaven, of every individual who ever professed to be His follower. From Adam on down, every case must be decided.
And the Judgment, when He finished with the dead, would pass to the living!
We have no way of knowing when that transition will take place, but when the cases of everyone living and dead have been decided, Jesus will conclude this phase of the atonement for mankind, and prepare, immediately after the 7 Last Plagues, to return to this earth!
457 B.C._________________2300 years___________________ 1844
457 BC/___+70 weeks-490 years ___+1810 years ___ to 1844
69 weeks ___+1 week
AD 26 AD 30 AD 33
Autumn Spring Autumn
Baptism Crucifixion Stoning
of Jesus of Jesus of Stephen
\Gospel to the Gentiles
Here, again study through the time-line in 01_05: The Judgment Line Graphic, (then return to below)
8. What decree will go forth just before Jesus comes?
Revelation.22:11:
“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” – the Close of Probation!
And soon after, our Lord will Return!!
The messages of the three angels of Revelation 14, verses 6 to 12, God’s final appeals to mankind – would begin to be preached right around the year 1844. For then, “the hour of His Judgment is come!” Right on schedule, just before 1844, the messages began to sound. They have been preached ever since. You are hearing them now!
9. What gives special urgency to the words of the first angel?
Revelation 14:7:
“Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His Judgment is come.”
Why are we to give glory to God? Because the “hour of his Judgment is come.” And if ever it was important to get our worship straight, it is during the time of the Investigative Judgment!
Have you personally placed your case in the hands of Jesus, so that He can represent you when your name comes up?
A MOMENT OF MEDITATION
Jesus, I place my case in Your hands. I want You to be my personal attorney when my name comes up in court. I want You to be able to hold out Your wounded hands and plead Your lifeblood for me. I want You to proclaim that I accepted the sacrifice You made in my place and that all of my sins have been forgiven – because I do accept it now. Amen.
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